1
as in audience
a group of people showing intense devotion to a cause, person, or work (as a film)
long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult
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2
as in religion
a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities
an ancient cult that centered on the worship of the earth as the source of all life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cult
That September, my parents were contacted by a cult of weed and LSD dealers in California with the incredible name the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, who wanted help breaking their hero, Timothy Leary, out of prison.
—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
At Free Eden, Apple secretly runs a witchy femme cult in the boutique’s basement after hours with Cherry and Fig.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
It feels destined for cult status.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
There was even a World Series star coming out of the bullpen, new cult hero Will Klein entering the game to the night’s loudest ovation and throwing a scoreless inning.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cult
Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
At Free Eden, Apple secretly runs a witchy femme cult in the boutique’s basement after hours with Cherry and Fig.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
It feels destined for cult status.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
There was even a World Series star coming out of the bullpen, new cult hero Will Klein entering the game to the night’s loudest ovation and throwing a scoreless inning.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cult
Noun
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Entelis is also aware that, as the network continues to expand its travel programming, audiences in 2026 are looking for escapism.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
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Trump’s populist allies have learned that their most poisonous ideas have a potent audience.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There are too many examples of religion trying to control all of us, and only for their ends, not ours.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
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But Mormonism is a high-demand, patriarchal religion, and the church’s obsession with Godly worthiness has only made the fixation on beauty flourish.—
Elizabeth Gulino,
Allure,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cult. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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